The first round of the 2023 EnduroGP World Championship took place this weekend (1-2 April) in Italy, and more precisely in Arma di Taggia (IM), a small Liguria-based village with a historical tradition for enduro racing, as evidenced by the year of foundation of the Motoclub Sanremo, organiser of the event, which, with over 90 years of activity, has managed to put together a high level race from all points of view.
The Italian GP weekend kicked off on Friday 31st March with the exciting opening parade that from the paddock of Arma di Taggia led riders, spectators and insiders to the Casino of Sanremo where the opening ceremony of the Italian GP took place, followed by the long-awaited Super Test packed with spectators on the beach of Sanremo that officially kicked off the race weekend and the 2023 EnduroGP season.
The Italian GP then continued over the next two days of racing under the banner of good weather, an incredible number of spectators recorded throughout the weekend and a very technical and treacherous race path that saw our riders having to measure themselves over 43 km with three special tests to be repeated four times a day for a total of 24 tests in two days.
The race course in which our riders battled it out included a 2 km Cross Test on the beach of Arma di Taggia just a few steps away from the paddock, followed by a 7 km Enduro Test with hard terrain and plenty of natural obstacles in a wooded area, and an Extreme Test at the end of the lap that was as spectacular as it was treacherous due to its climbs and descents characterised by hard and dusty terrain interspersed with stones for a total of 2.4 km.
The protagonist of the Arma di Taggia race was the British rider Jed Etchells. After good results in the first outings of the season at the Assoluti d’Italia di Enduro, Jed Etchells at Arma di Taggia won the Junior class and Junior 1 on the opening day, dominating and convincing the entire team. The English rider recorded five best times in the twelve special tests on Saturday. On Sunday, however, the English rider riding the Fantic 250 4T was unable to take the overall victory, which eluded him by a few seconds. The final score for him is in any case satisfactory and with a first and a second place currently Jed Etchells occupies the first position in the Junior and Junior 1 classes.
Excellent performance for Harry Edmondson, in his first year in Junior Class , the British rider and reigning Youth champion took an eighth and seventh place in Junior 1.
Jane Daniels started the 2023 Enduro World Championship in the best possible way, collecting two first places and flying to the top of the provisional standings in the Women’s class. Jane posted several best overall times in the Women class, distancing her rivals considerably.
After the opening race of the season the FIM EnduroGP World Championship will stop for a month before returning for the Spanish GP on 5-7-May in Lalìn for the second round of the 2023 season.
Team Manager Matthew Savi
“I am very happy with how the first round of the EnduroGP went because the Jet Fantic Racing Team managed to bring two Fantic to the top of the Enduro World Championship and both of our riders are leaders in their respective classes.
“Jed Etchells dominated the first day of racing while in the second day he lost the first position for one mistake too many.
Our British rider Jane Daniels’s race also went well with two splendid victories on the day.
“Now focus on the next round of the world championship in a month in Spain.”
Harry Edmondson
“I am satisfied, I ran a good race and got some good results in the Junior 1 class. We still have a lot of work to do but I am sure that by the end of the year we will be able to get closer to the leaders.”
Jed Etchells
“I am very happy with the result on Saturday and the times achieved in the special tests, but a little less with the second place on Sunday. The level of the Junior class and the Junior 1 class is very high but I want to be among the protagonists this season.
Jane Daniels
“We started the season in the best possible way with a splendid one-two in the Women’s class where I hold the title. Now we have to focus on the next round where we absolutely have to repeat.
